case studies

case studies

Commercial Building Renovation Volusia County

PROBLEM

AdvantaClean recently completed a mold and lead paint removal project for a commercial facility in Volusia county, built in the 1920’s. Our original bid was submitted to the general contractor for an area of approximately 5,000 square feet.

The initial project for mold removal caused by water intrusion from 100 year old masonry, required us to remove interior drywall and plaster from affected areas.

During the initial mold removal process, lead-based paint was found by the owner’s Safety Director.

Additional steps were required to bring the building back occupiable and safe standards.

SOLUTION

A change order was submitted to address the lead paint issue. Loose paint was scraped and removed with HEPA vacuums and special coatings were brought in to encapsulate affected areas.

Once all the paint was removed and sealed, we continued with our mold remediation process.

Special HEPA air scrubbers and filters were used to create negative pressure to affected areas and to avoid exposure to any other occupied part of the building. Filters exhausted treated air to the outside of the building.

Zippered containment chambers were constructed around the affected areas to allow crews to move about safely from room to room.

We treated the original wood floor and subfloor for mold.

We used large dehumidifiers with cooling coils to control humidity.

The process allows air to run across a cooling coil, which pulls the moisture out of the air. The water is then flushed out using an automatic purge pump.

As the pump flushes out, moist, cool air is replaced with hot, dry air. (Mold remediation, relative humidity must be kept at 50% or below.)

We HEPA vacuumed and hand-wiped all exposed areas.

We also bid another section of the building affected by mold. This involved the exterior walls of the building.

The contractor removed layers of external building material, exposing mold 2-4 feet up the wall, which we had to treat. The entire catwalk was cleaned and hand wiped with an antimicrobial agent, then sealed with a mold resistant coating. The area was waterproofed with 6 mil plastic until the exterior area could be reconstructed by the General Contractor.

Finally, we performed a NADCA guidelines (National Air Duct Cleaners Association.)

RESULT

Upon completion of the project, the entire job was swept, vacuumed, and mopped.

A Certified Industrial Hygienist was retained by the contractor to verify the job was complete. We passed the final indoor air quality analysis (Post Remediation Verification) the first time.

What started out as a small mold remediation project became a 25,000—30,000 square feet project for mold remediation, lead abatement, and air-duct cleaning.

Healthcare Imagine Center Orlando, FL

The facility includes two “operation closets,” accessible only from the outside of the building.

The Problem

The facility uses one of the exterior closets to store electronic equipment for the phone and network systems.

Because of its exterior entry, leaves and dust eventually penetrated the room from under the door.

Humid air in the room had no way to escape. The combination of debris and humidity provided an excellent source for mold to grow.

Over time, mold spread to the walls, electronic conduits and computer equipment in the room. Air vents in the room were also covered with mold. The vents shared air with another room in the facility that housed the CAT Scan equipment.

The Solution

1. We bio-washed and cleaned all untreated portable equipment

2. We moved equipment from the room and stored it outside in sealed bags

3. We HEPA-vacuumed the entire room

4. We hand-wiped the room.

5. We HEPA-vacuumed the room a second time (In the industry this process is referred to as a “HEPA Sandwich” )

6. We then sealed the building materials using a antimicrobial agent (It has the appearance of thick, white paint)

7. We cleaned affected ductwork

The second closet was known as the ‘mechanical room,’ housing sensitive MRI cooling and technical equipment.

Because of equipment sensitivity, the room must be kept at a constant 61 degrees.

Due to the cooler temperatures, heavy condensation had developed on the walls, ceiling tiles, filing cabinets, and shelving. The moisture mixed with dust and organic debris caused a layer of growth to accumulate on sensitive equipment.

Our remediation process included the following:

1. We cleaned and bagged all contents within the room

2. We vacuumed and sanitized everything using the “HEPA Sandwich” approach

3. We encapsulated areas of heavy mold growth

4. We replaced many of the ceiling tiles

5. We then performed a thorough duct cleaning

The Result

We were able to complete the project in ﬁve days. To minimize patient interruption, some of our work was done on a Saturday, and after hours.